Why I Became a Lion

From the November 2023 District 12-S Newsletter (with updates now that I found the memory book my mom left for me)

I was what you would call a hellraiser as a kid. I passed 1^st through 4^th grade on trial and failed the 5^th grade.

I think they only let me out of 5th grade the second time because they wanted me out of there. I burned down a trailer in Roswell, NM. On Barksdale ir Force Base (BAFB), I helped destroy a couple of million dollars worth of construction equipment, which caused the delayed opening of new barracks and a new hospital by several months. I accomplished all this before my 13^th birthday.

In the 6^th grade, I stabbed a bully in the back and shoved another bully’s arm through a plate glass door, nearly severing his forearm. Yes, I had an angry and violent temper. Later in my life, my mom showed me a letter she kept from the BAFB Base Commander that stated that if my dad didn’t get control of his delinquent dependent, his dependent could be excluded from the base. My mom told me that meant my dad could be dishonorably discharged from the USAF.

What turned me from an out-of-control person to the pleasant, good-looking, and humble person you know today? A teacher who paid attention.

In the second semester of 9^th grade, a teacher noticed I did well in some classes and very poorly in others. She sent a note home to my parents about getting my eyes checked. Yep, it turned out I was severely near-sighted AND color-blind. Being a Webster, from the 1^st through both times in the 5^th grade, I was always seated in the back row of the classroom. I couldn’t see anything the teacher was doing. A concerned teacher and glasses changed me.

All of this is the reason I am so passionate about vision screening. I want to help kids not have a miserable, angry, and possibly violent childhood because no one knows they can’t see what is happening in the classroom or life. Thank you, fellow Lions, for helping kids have a more normal childhood and successful school years through your vision screening service.

If we only change one child’s life, we have changed the world.

Remember, Life is for Service.

Lion Webster

12-S District Admin

Lions Club Presentations

Here is the list of presentations I do for Lions Clubs.

Each presentation has optional audio and video components.

Each presentation takes about one hour. If necessary, I can do each presentation in 45 minutes. If you want to record my presentations, I give you permission. Please feel free to do so!

Title: An Autopsy of a Deceased Lions Club (Why Lions Clubs Die)
- Synopsis: Understanding the reasons why Lions Clubs die, as well as some possible solutions.
- Outline:
  - Introduction
    - Obituary for The (fictitious) Likeable Lions Club
    - Why do we read obituaries?
  - A brief history of MD-xx
  - MD-xx overview of deceased clubs
  - Webster’s eight reasons why Lions Clubs die
  - Survey results
    - Why does a Lion not attend meetings?
    - Why would a Lion quit a club?
    - Why do some long-tenured members refuse changes to help their club survive or thrive?
    - Why do some long-tenured members seem fixated on their club’s past?
    - Why does it seem newer members have such a short tenure?
    - What can a club do to look more like the community it serves?
    - Why do you think a Lions Club dies?
  - Conclusion #1
  - Conclusion #2
  - Conclusion #3
  - Quotable Quotes
- Handout available: Yes
- Notes:
  - This is the presentation for which I am known best.
  - I customize the history and membership data for the District, Multiple District, or Organization that requests this presentation.

Title: Building Healthy, Successful Clubs
- Synopsis: A review of healthy and successful clubs and how the clubs built and maintained their health and success.
- Outline:
  - Introduction
  - Definitions
    - What is a healthy club?
    - What is a successful club?
  - What do Lions Say is a Healthy Club?
  - What do Lions Say is a Successful Club?
  - Clubs in Review
  - Club 1
  - Club 2
  - Club 3 (if time allows)
  - Club 4 (if time allows)
  - How Did We Do?
    - What do Lions Say is a Healthy Club?
    - What do Lions Say is a Successful Club?
    - Why do you think a Lions Club dies? (From the Autopsy presentation)
  - Things to Consider
- Handout available: Yes

July 1, 2023, a new Life of Service Begins

On June 30th, 2023, I said goodbye to many End User Computing (EUC) Community friends. On July 1st, I moved my volunteer service work from the world of Information Technology to Lions Clubs International.

In my IT career, I took over 500 certification exams and held over 100 certifications. I received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Citrix, a Career Achievement Award from my peers at the EUC Masters Retreat, the Cup of the Holy Grail from my friends also at the EUC Masters Retreat, and the Citrix Users Group Community and Patrick Coble gave me The Nerdiest Tuba Player Award.

The scripts, files, and PDFs I provided to the EUC Community from my now-retired website CarlWebster.com had over 1,000,000 downloads from September 30, 2011, through June 30, 2023. My old website also handled over 3,500,000 visitors from November 8, 2008, through June 30, 2023.

I plan to bring the same passion and dedication for service to my local community, club, district, state, and the Lions Clubs International family.

At 00:00:01 on July 1, 2023, I become the 2nd Vice District Governor for District 12-S in the Great State of Tennessee.

Here is my election poster from our District 12-S Convention held on February 11, 2023. I think you may see just what a goober I am.

Thanks for reading my first post on my new LionWebster website.

Thanks

Lion Carl Webster
THE Tullahoma Lions Club
Melvin Jones Fellow
District 12-S 2nd Vice District Governor and Admin
Webster@LionWebster.com 931-434-5577